The 99th session of the Council of Ministers of the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States (ACP Group) held in Nairobi Kenya, from 16 to 18 June 2014, Having examined the report of the ACP Committee of Ambassadors regarding the security situation in the north of Mali which was supplemented by the Malian delegation present at the Council session;

Concerned at the sudden deterioration in the security situation in the north of Mali in the aftermath of the recent deadly clashes that occurred in Kidal between armed groups present in that region and the Malian Armed Forces, which dealt a blow to the process of dialogue and national reconciliation that had begun in the framework of the Ouagadougou Preliminary Agreement;

HEREBY:

– STRONGLY CONDEMNS the acts of violence and killings perpetrated in Kidal between 17 and 21 May 2014, that caused the death of several soldiers in the Malian Armed Forces, the kidnapping and holding of some thirty civilians, as well as the cowardly killing of several defenceless Malian civil servants in the exercise of their duties, by members of the MNLA rebel group and their allies;

– FURTHER FIRMLY CONDEMNS the suicide-bombing which killed four Blue Helmets on 11 June 2014 and injured many members of the MINUSMA force and the Malian Armed Forces;

– PAYS TRIBUTE to the memory of all the victims, both military and civilian; extends its heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families and expresses its solidarity with the Malian people;

– CALLS FOR the perpetrators of these crimes and atrocities to be found and punished according to the Law;

– WELCOMES the ceasefire agreement signed on 23 May 2014 between the Malian Government and three armed groups (MNLA, HCUA and MAA), as well as the adoption of the Algiers Declaration in which the three armed groups reaffirmed their determination to participate in the inclusive inter-Malian dialogue;

– URGES all the stakeholders to engage in dialogue in order to restore peace, security and stability and to strive for the economic and social development of Mali;

– REAFFIRMS its commitment to preserving the unity, territorial integrity, secular nature of the Malian State and the sovereignty of the Malian Government throughout its territory;

– ENCOURAGES the Malian Authorities to speed up the creation of the conditions required to effectively launch the process of inclusive dialogue and national reconciliation, in accordance with the principles of the Ouagadougou Preliminary Agreement;

– CALLS ON the United Nations Security Council to strengthen the mandate and increase the members of the MINUSMA to enable it to effectively conduct its security and stabilisation mission in Mali and successfully combat terrorism and the activities of narco-traffickers in the north of Mali;

– CONSIDERS mediation by ECOWAS as an essential instrument of support in the search for a peaceful and lasting solution to the crisis in Mali; and

– PAYS GLOWING TRIBUTE to the international community and ECOWAS in particular, for all the efforts made to assist Mali and encourages them to continue the initiatives to restore lasting peace to that country.

Nairobi, 18 June 2014